Wonder why you get nervous when you have to speak? Do presentations at work make your nerves kick into high gear? Being nervous is normal. A bit of anxiety or nerves (aka stage fright) before presenting is indeed normal, and even good. Here’s how to manage it.

I approach each client and each job with empathy. But now, I can bring even more empathy. Starting this week, I’m taking a stand-up comedy class. And I’m going to chronicle the experience here each week with personal videos, sharing my journey.

Your speaker bio (aka, your Introduction) serves 3 purposes: 1) To establish cred. Your audience wants to know that you know what you’re talking about. What’s your background? Why are you the person to speak about this? How do we know you bring…

I’ll never forget the worst bridal toast I ever sat through. It was a July wedding. My husband was the best man. I was his date, seated at another table. I, of course, helped my husband plan and prepare his speech. We made sure it was heartfelt, kind, and succinct. The maid of honor did not do the same.

“What do I do with my hands?” This is the question I’ve been getting since I began teaching Presentation Skills in 2004. I know what I do, but I also do this every day. I tapped media pro and video producer Kim Brattain to share her expertise in these 3 quick tips.

So it makes sense to me that a generation that grew up with tech will need something different than a generation that didn’t. AND. It also helps to ditch the generalizations - for any audience - in order to better connect with your audience.